omonnakoda:

yes history vindicates Ojukwu
South Africa hosting the world cup,the invasion of Afghanistan, The Killings of Sadaam Hussein,Osama Bin Laden and Muammae Gaddafi
Usain Bolt's World Records in 100m and 200m

all these are vindication of Ojukwu

but did he

really commit suicide

If Nigeria is not working today, it is not totally unconnected to the actions of Ojukwu and previously other ibo officers on January 15, 1966

Did you mean: Fiberglass

Why is anybody surprised. I hope Adams Oshiomhole, the NLC and all those pro subsidy protesters will proffer a solution out of this.

They are the only people who did not see this coming.

@ Becomerich, The title should read NNPC is broke, not Nigeria is broke. It's a little bit misleading.

Tuyis:

“Look officer, you and I do the same job, we are both trying to make this society a better place for all of us. Try and be civil. What have I done?”

“This is the problem with you people. One time you say you are a journalist. Another time, you say you are police, doing the same job with police. What is your rank? Wey your uniform? Just open this door and follow us to station.

From traffic offence to impersonation in a matter of minutes. OMG, I could't stop laughing.

Now, you are creating real enemies for this Octopus. I hope it doesn't get whacked.

I bet the Dutch and the Germans will like to get their hands on that Octopsychic.

Na waa for Naija police

The other face of Nigeria
By Reuben Abati


“Get down now. Open your door, let us come in, we are taking you to the station.”


“Hey, open that door, now, now, before I shoot.”

He sounded like he would shoot truly. The car had been surrounded by gun-totting policemen. I looked up, there was a policeman pointing a gun at the car in the direction of my newly shaved head. He looked stoned. Nigerians are great, incorrigible voyeurs, every incident with a touch of drama excites them; I noticed a small crowd of onlookers was already gathering like an audience at a movie.

I couldn’t figure out what the confusion was all about. I thought the men were armed robbers. The fact that they wore the Police uniform didn’t matter. These days, police uniforms and guns are available for hire, such that the average Nigerian has come to learn that a uniform looks just as good on a crook as it does on the public official engaged in legitimate duty.

“What is it? What is the problem?,” I yelled. “I am a journalist,” I added, trying to introduce myself. Sometimes, that helps. But this was not my lucky day.

“And so? Journalist. Well done! Because you are a journalist, you think you can commit a crime?”

Crime? What crime?

“Look officer, you and I do the same job, we are both trying to make this society a better place for all of us. Try and be civil. What have I done?”

“This is the problem with you people. One time you say you are a journalist. Another time, you say you are police, doing the same job with police. What is your rank? Wey your uniform? Just open this door and follow us to station. You will see yourself today.” In a matter of seconds, the rear door had been flung open, two policemen struggled to get into the car, their guns carelessly targeted at me. I got angry.

“Are you people alright at all; get down from this car right now.”

“You are abusing a policeman. You will see yourself today.”

“Can’t you see I am trying to have a conversation with your colleague here? Why don’t you wait and let me know what is wrong before you jump into the car?”

“You are speaking grammar. Policeman is trying to do his job, you are blowing grammar. You want to teach police how to do his job because you are a journalist? Is that how to behave?”

I turned to the only one among the policemen who appeared sober. “Please talk to your colleagues, because I really can’t understand what I have done that is responsible for this harassment.”

“That man is my oga sir. He is our commander.”

“I think you have heard now. I am the oga here. It’s me you should be talking to.”

“Look, I am a friend of the police.”

“Who is your friend? You can’t commit a crime and claim that you are a friend of the police.”

“I have written many articles defending you people, asking government to attend to the welfare of policemen…”

“We don’t read articles. Just follow us.”

“I also speak on television”

“I don’t watch telly. Where NEPA dey sef to take watch television?”

“See, I am a member of the Lagos State Security Trust, we are always providing help for the police on behalf of the people. Where are you people from, the command or RRS? Who is your oga? Odumosu or Akpoyibo.”

“Akpoyibo”

“I know him”

“This man, stop disturbing us with stories. Move this car and follow us to the station.”

“I am a friend of the police. I am sure that your Hilux van must have been provided by the Security Trust. Even this your uniform looks like one of the uniforms we gave out to the police the other month.”

“My uniform? This uniform? If I hear that again, I will use this gun to scatter your head. Nobody gave me this uniform. I bought this uniform myself from police store. I bought this shoe myself. I bought this cap with my own money. If anybody tell you say dey give police uniform, it is a lie. Ask every policeman, na we dey buy our uniform ourselves.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I can see that you don’t understand anything. If you people gave uniforms and money to some people in the police, you better know the people, because we on duty, we cater for we-self.”

I knew I was dealing with wounded lions. And here they were, wielding guns.

“Sorry officer,” I tried a softer tone. “But what have I done?”

“When you get to the station, you will know. In fact, your crime don increase. Parking on the highway, trying to teach policemen how to do their job, causing public nuisance, trying to create an accident and risking the lives of other Nigerians, wasting the time of the Nigeria Police with stupid talk, claiming to be a journalist and a policeman at the same time…very serious crimes.”

“I have not committed any crime, officer.”

“When you write a statement in our station, you can say so.”

It is true that I had parked the car by the roadside to receive a phone call. Road safety regulations stipulate that we should not drive and use the phone at the same time. I thought I was being a good citizen when I parked by the roadside, switched on the hazard lights and took the call. I spent less than a minute on the phone. But the policemen had seen me; they double-crossed the car. They took almost ten minutes before disclosing what “crime” I had committed, and all explanations that I was in fact trying to obey the law fell on deaf ears.

“You can’t park on the highway. You are supposed to keep moving.”

“But officer, this is not a highway. This is just a street.”

“You want to tell me what a highway is!”

“I have a dictionary in the car. We can check the meaning of highway, officer.”

“I don’t want your dictionary. Is this a classroom? When you get to our station, I will give you our own dictionary. We also have a dictionary at the station!”

“I parked the car because I didn’t want to drive and use the phone. And you can see that the hazard lights are on. And I am right inside the car. What if the car had broken down?”

“If it breaks down, you carry it on your head. If not, if police catch you, we arrest you for criminal action.”

I was tempted to laugh. But under the circumstances, that might have been impolitic. Too many innocent lives have been cut short by Nigerian policemen who can’t stand a citizen insisting on his or her rights. Assassins, armed robbers, kidnappers, ritual killers are on the prowl in the country, and yet the police appear overwhelmed. But they are most effective in harassing innocent Nigerians.

One policeman once told me that it was an offence to carry money in the trunk of a car. He refused to be convinced otherwise. When I stood my ground, he asked for the car’s fire extinguisher. When I brought that out, he insisted on sighting the certificate of ownership. I drew his attention to the fact that it was an official car. Then he pointed to a minor scratch and said the law does not allow anybody to drive a car with a scratch. What law? Has he not seen the smoking contraptions on Nigerian roads, which block visibility and cause accidents? His response was that I should mind my own business. I was facing a similar situation and I had wasted so much time already, thinking that I was dealing with honest policemen on duty. Someone soon joined us and started begging the policemen on my behalf.

“This your friend is too stubborn. I think he is a big man but he doesn’t know what to do. Instead of him to behave himself, he has been boasting here that he knows commissioner; if you like know IG.”

“You people didn’t give me a chance to explain.”

“Who is interested in your explanation? Police say you park for highway, you wan bring dictionary. You think this place na your office? Don’t you live in this country?”

“Okay officer, I am sorry.” Even when you have not committed any offence, it is better to beg Nigerian policemen. And it would be suicidal to follow them to the police station. You could be branded an armed robber and kept in the cell for months. I tried to humour the policemen by smiling sheepishly at them. By now, they had lowered their rifles.

“Okay oga, to settle everything, give us something.”

At this point, the only policeman who appeared sober intervened and told their team leader that it would not be advisable to collect bribe from me. He even said I could go. The team leader refused.

“Oga, you can’t go oh. Ha ha. Me, I will collect something from you today.”

“Let oga go. He says he knows commissioner.”

“How does that concern me? I will collect something from him. Oga, you are a big man. Give me something, I will take. Ha, after all the time we have spent on your matter, you can’t just waste our time like that.”

“Okay no problem,” I said, dipping my hand into my pocket.

“Make it big oh.” Then he turned to his colleague: “What is the matter with you? You too dey fear. Anybody can say he knows commissioner of police. Commissioner na human being, people suppose know am. But na we dey for road.”

I paid the ransom that the man wanted and regained my freedom. I had hardly driven for another ten minutes when I came upon a group of young men blocking a service lane.

“Yes, what is the matter here?,” I queried. These ones didn’t have guns, they were not wearing any uniform, they looked like “area boys” and I was in no mood to pay another toll.

“This car is under arrest”

“What do you mean this car is under arrest?”

“It is carrying advertisement.”

“But if you are not blind you will see that this is a press car.”

“Advertisement is advertisement.”

“Has Fashola not warned you local government people to stop harassing Lagosians?”

“Ta lo n je Fashola”

“BRF”

“Omo ta ni yen”

“SAN. Eko o ni baje.”

“Is he the Chairman of this area? Chairman says any car that carries advertisement must pay. It is N15, 000. If you pay now we will give you a receipt… Abi ki lo n se maanu yi ke? If you are not careful, I will give you tribal marks.” He brought out a razor blade.

“This car is not advertising anything. This is just company name. Who is your Chairman, by the way?”

“O fe mo Sheer-man. This man wants to know Sheer-man. You will have to follow us to our office.”

“I don’t have to go with you. Let me just take my bag. I will give you the car key but I assure you, your Chairman will bring this car to me in my office, by the time I start trouble.”

“Bring the car key. Omo, you drive the car. Mister man you can take your bag and go. Sheer-man will bring the car to you in your office.”

The folly of my statement suddenly dawned on me. I ended up pacifying the boys. They also insisted on collecting money. By the time I got to the office, I was mentally drained. Our leaders are bad, so-called ordinary people are mean, this is what makes living in this land so stressful.


http://odili.net/news/source/2010/jul/11/2.html

Finally, Becomerich is getting through to the people that really matters. I just hope I don't find myself in Republic of Benin, at the rate things are going.

paddy_lo:

[b]This is not your Nigeria of the 1970. . .

Nigeria today has managed to achieve macro-economic stability for 10 straight yrs, . .

Something it has never done in its history before

It has managed to ammass $40billion in external reserves(in just 5yrs or so)
Imagine what the next 10 yrs hold

It has managed to push through reforms like an independent central bank, Pension reform that has built up long term assets of over $10billion in only 4yrs

Bank reforms. . .that has made our banks like UBA to be colonizing Other African Economies
In effect a Nigerian owned Multinational

Debt Market Reform that means that Nigeria has a Soveriegn yield curve for the first time in History(Issued by the DMO)
u now have 2yr,5y,10yr and 20yr FGN bonds with turnover that exceeds N4trillion a month

Democratic reforms that will only get better in 2011

Professional military for 10yrs now that is willing to obey our constitution

and a form of decentralization of decision making that is allowing states like Lagos,Rivers,Kwara and crossriver amongst others, partner with private sector to push necessary reforms in their respective state

In 1970 if the world financial crises that happened in 2008 had taken place. . .u would have seen Nigeria record Negative growth. .
But we didnt that tells u it is different this time. . (we are one of a few handful of countries in the world that actually posted positive GDP growth rates for 2009)

In Fact we just laid the foundation we never had. . .the payoff begins now
[/b]

You are right, Nigeria has done really well in the last 10 years. The turning point was when the $36 billion foreign debt was paid off.
It put Nigeria back in control of it's econony, free from the deadly medicines of the IMF and the likes.

ikeyman00:

why writing silly stuff

What are the "silly stuff" I've written? Can you please post them here? If you can't, then please crawl back to your little hole and stay clear.

How about making it illegal for children under 16 not to be in school, and making sure there is quality education available to all of them.

You cannot beat your kids, but you can make them hawk tomatoes all day long when they are supposed to be in school.
Another misplaced priority in my opinion.

Somebody is looking for trouble.

michelin89:

Abeg jor. There are women I wouldn't mind tasting myself.

That is soo Gay!!! Are you coming out or something!!

Kobojunkie:

Embracing technology is one thing but reversing a ban only a couple of days after is another. He should have thought things through from the start and considered all angles before imposing such a ban. Coming in now to tell us that Facebook caused him to reverse the ban only hints at this being some rash decision on his part.

Bans are usually last resort solutions, and not to be used as a drunking man would.

Thank you jare, I'm not really concerned about how he wants ro reach Nigerians. I'm more concerned about his knee-jerk approach to this particular issue.

Princek12:

Instead of appreciating and commending the president for embracing technology in that he listened to Nigerians on facebook, some people here are criticizing the poor man. Facebook is an effective medium through which common Nigerians can reach him, and it is significant improvement because only politicians in Abuja, Kano, and Maiduguri could reach our previous presidents.

Accepted, all Nigerians are not on facebook, but it is safe to say that the few Nigerians who are his facebook fans and who post suggestions are a fair representation of Nigerians. And for those who are not on facebook, it is safe to say that only a facebook account separates you from suggesting your ideas to the president, even if he does not reach it. I think it is a good thing.

Some people, sha.

Nonsense, he can probably reach more Nigerians here on Nairaland than on Facebook, why doesn't he open an account here.
We already had a grandstander in Babangida, we don't need another one.
The radio call in shows, used by Obasanjo was a perfect way to reach a large cross section of Nigerians not Facebook, at least not yet.

na_so:


I dont seem to understand your logic here. "Majority of Nigeians are not on facebook", whatever that means. we are comparing something(albeit small) to nothing at all. When he became president he made it clear that he will be on facebook to feel the pulse of nigerians, and in our normal way , we criticised it . we have been so blinded that we condemn everything we see our leaders do. we dont judge on case-by-case basis. May be you expect him to conduct another census to feel the pulse of people instead of facebook. Facebook may not be the best he can do for now, but it is surely a step in the right direction.

On humiliating himself before the world, there is a saying that "it is only a fool who can not change his mind" the changes in the NFF that necessitated the suspension had somehow been achieved so why should he retain his earlier stance? pride alone, what else. in this case that pride is of little value. It is called humility my friend.

You don't need to explain to a primary school kid what "Most Nigerians are not on Facebook" means. Tell me, what is the logic of going to Facebook to reach out to Nigerians when most Nigerians are not there?

Once again, did he have to humilliate himself in front of the whole world just get rid of two guys who relies on government funding for their operations?

He appears rash and thoughtless and that will be his undoing if care is not taken. Take it from me.

chamotex:

And why is that?

I really don't know, maybe most are already taken or are not interested in just a pretty face.

na_so:

The comments here show how impossible we are as Nigerians. The reversal was a good decision.

We returned from the world cup woefully, the president takes a decision because the NFF was a house full of thieves hiding under the fifa article 13 on government interference. The president makes an announcement preparing for the worst(ban for 2 years), that announcement leads to some drastic changes in the NFF which is less 3 of its biggest thieves (LULU,OGUNJOBI,UCHEGBULAM).

The remaining board members have agreed to work amicably with the interim team created by government, Fifa too is not making any noise about interference when we all know that the newly set up team can easily be interpreted as interference. Why is Fifa this careful? because Sepp blatter and his team know that government can go any length to clean up the NFF . This is a win-win for government. make the changes in the board without bleeding so much(fifa ban/suspension)

Secondly i expect any reasonble person to go check up the facebook page being spoken of here to ascertain the general tone of responses the president got after the initial announcement , to affirm how it could have affected the final decision.

What GEJ is saying is that he now has a means of feeling the pulse of the populace directly. What we now need to do is to test the effectiveness of this medium in tackling other challenges we have as a nation.

Abeg ITK PEOPLE TOO PLENTY FOR NL.

Majority of Nigerians are not on Facebook, in fact most do not own or even know how to use a computer, how does that translate to listening to Nigerians?

Regarding the ban, did he have to humilliate himself in front of the whole world, just to get rid of two officials of an organization that relies on government funding?

He needs to sit up, if he has any hope of being elected.

What's a girl to do? She's got to draw attention to herself somehow, there are not too many rich and handsome bachelors out there!

Reptyle:

If you were Jonathan and you do an analysis of the kind of comments and insults that have been heaped on you by forumites on nairaland, would you sign up? We keep complaining that government does not listen to us. Now the man has found a good way to connect with young people and its insults all the way. We, Nigerians are just an impossible bunch of people!!!

Nigerians are actually very tolerant, almost passive people. The type of leadership we have would elicit revolt in some other countries.

Why is this guy trying to sabotage himself by acting stupid?

Try NIFOR.


http://www.nifor.org/products.htm

He would have shown himself to be impulsive and spineless. Why did he ban them in the first place, didn't he realize there will be pressures fron FIFA?

This is one of the problems with leadership in Nigeria, act first and think later!

Do you want to process palm fruits to palm oil or refine crude palm oil? what exactly do you want to do?

Maradona is still in shock. Like someone said earlier, he will need a vuvuzela to sniff his cacaine now.
They got spanked and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Pweety4me:

Y do u guys care?is it your couNtry?do u gain anyfin from it?

We care for the same reasons you are here wasting your valuable time!

Builder:

I pray Somalia qualify for semi final

They already got the trophy for piracy.

Sometimes God rewards people who doesn't deserve it. when I know why, I would have known the secret behind the universe.

I propose a change to FIFA rules, catching a ball with your hands at the penalty box should be regarded as a goal.